Northern Oklahoma College and Oklahoma State University celebrated the 20-Year Anniversary of the Gateway Program at NOC Stillwater on Thursday, April 18.The celebration was held at the NOC Classroom Building and featured remarks from NOC Interim President Diana Watkins, Stillwater Mayor Will Joyce, Vice President for Stillwater Dr. Marsh Howard, NOC Vice President for Development & Community Relations Sheri Snyder, Former NOC/ OSU Gateway Student Maritza Jireh Leon Cartagena, and OSU Vice Provost Dr. Chris Francisco.Snyder provided a brief history of the program.“The Gateway program formally began in August 2003 when Northern Oklahoma College and Oklahoma State University launched an educational partnership with the goal of providing greater access to higher education for Oklahoma’s college-bound students. Realizing the need for community college open access for students in the Stillwater area who are not admissible to Oklahoma State, both institutions worked together to develop the guidelines necessary for a successful program – this started in a strip mall which we made work. 15 years later, we were excited to be in our own NOC Stillwater Classroom Building, which opened in August 2018 bringing together classes formerly offered at Cowboy Mall and the North Classroom Building on the OSU campus, as well as Nursing classes previously offered at Fountain Square. Over the past 5 years, we have continued all of these programs and offerings in our NOC Stillwater Classroom Building as well as transitioned our child development program to this site, which was previously offered off-campus on Perkins Road.”“What started as serving a little over 500 students that first fall semester,” she added. “NOC Stillwater today serves about 1,900 students a year with about 450 of those as full-time students and the others taking one or more courses. I would like to be the first to thank everyone who played an integral part in the success of our NOC/ OSU Gateway Program – this has truly been a successful higher educational partnership in Oklahoma!”Cartagena, in giving her testimonial of the program said, “NOC was the right choice for me, they were so welcoming to me. NOC provided a highquality education with teachers who really cared about my education. I have patterned my own teaching philosophy from what I experienced here as a student. I will always be proud to say that I am a Northern Oklahoma College alumni.”Dr. Francisco spoke of the OSU-NOC relationship over the last 20 years.“I am so excited ...
